Memorial Day

We were looking forward to a relaxing weekend. Man, the last few weeks of school are intense! Lots of changes to the normal routine and plenty of extra activities which have sent me swirling lately. There are a lot of May birthdays in both Damien and my families. A lot to remember but a lot to celebrate, also. We headed up to Healdsburg for a jam packed weekend that promised to have lots of activity with a chance to relax here and there.

We first started out by meeting Damien's family at a local creperie for a Heavenly and Teresa's birthday. We packed a lot of people into this quaint shop and enjoyed a lot of yumminess while trying to contain the eleven kids jammed between us at the table! Following the party, we headed back to Mark and Marlene's house where Marlene had a surprise for everyone. With a cue from Dancing with the Stars, she had hired some professionals to come and teach everyone the Tango. I'll admit- at first I was a bit hesitant but after seeing Michael and Claire get right in there and learn the steps and dance with each other, I couldn't turn my back on them or this experience.

The next day, we celebrated Ryan's 30th birthday! The kids swam for most of the day and we all just relaxed and enjoyed the sun, the great barbecued food, and Ryan 30 years! Ryan had stuffed a pinata for the kids to break open and they had so much fun with it! All of them got to hit it until a waterfall of candy and cavities poured out! There was a lot jam packed into the weekend but a break from the craziness of our San Jose lives was just what we needed! End of the school year here we come!

Spring Fling

I absolutely love going to programs at the kids school. To think that some schools have cut their music program is just terrible! All it would take to let you know how important music is to some children is to go and watch how happy kids are when they are singing, dancing and/or listening to music. I imagine that for some kids who struggle with numbers and letters - music class would be a place where they could let go of their frustrations and be successful! I am thrilled with the music program at my kid's school. They are always coming home humming a new tune or telling me about upcoming musical surprises! Each class puts on one mass per year and I am guessing that they have about four performances per year. That is a lot of singing and preparation!

At this year's Spring Fling, the kids were buzzing with excitement. Matthew could hardly sit still knowing that Michael and Claire were sitting yards away from him! Each class sat quietly and waited their turn to sing and each performance was both precious and hilarious, too! Grades 1-4 perform but there are two sections per grade. That makes 8 performances that are awesome! This seasonal performance is one of my favorites. There is always a cute theme and the songs are great for kids but appeal to adults, too. It's kind of along the lines of how the movie Shrek is funny to both young and old! Michael's class sang a song about being best friends. They each wore a sign around their necks with a broken heart and walked up and stood on the risers looking great! When the music started, they linked with their neighbor to make a heart. It was pretty funny! Claire's class sang a really cute song called Music Makes Me Sing. Totally perfect for first graders to sing! All in all- Damien and I loved it! And Michael and Emily's opinion? The greatest show ever! They couldn't believe their brother and sister were on the big stage! Can't wait for more shows next year!!

Claire's Girls Society

Right now on Claire's door is a sign that reads like this:

Girls Soceity in ORDER!!!!!!!!!

Get Out!

Be Quiet!

Boys Lose! Except Jesus and Santa

Forty Niner Fever

I love sports. I love playing them and I love watching them. One sport that I really wasn't into when I was growing up was football. Sure, I watched games on television and even understood the rules- but I just never had a moment where football was near and dear to my heart. The Seattle Seahawks were always around but my Dad was never a die hard fan (and they were never really that good). On top of that, in all of my Dad's years of watching football- he never went to go a game at the Kingdome. His excuse back then . . . he didn't want to come back smelling like beer. He thought that people would get excited and then spill their beer on him. Whether or not this is true- he never went to a game. He did, however, expose us to many other sports and teams. We went to Seattle Supersonics games, Mariners games, UW Husky football and basketball games, high school football and basketball games, and even some professional soccer games. But we didn't go to NFL games.

When Damien and I met, he loved that I liked to watch sports. But when it came to football, I never had too much to say. He on the other hand, did. He is a HUGE San Francisco Forty Niner fan. His grandmother, Hellie, sparked his love for the 49ers and I have to admit- his love for the game was contagious! Soon, we looked forward to Sundays and the occasional Monday to watch some great football! When we were dating in college and watching games together, the 49ers were really good which made it so exciting to watch them. Over the years, Damien's love for his team has steadily grown (despite the fact that the 49ers haven't been that good lately). Every Sunday we find a television to gather around and enjoy the game! My kids are beginning to love it, too. They ask lots of questions about rules and players and seem to be understanding things more and more. I hope to bring them to a game this year because I know they would love it and I know that Damien would love to share the experience with them, too!

Emily's First Step!

Emily took her first step today. Damien and I were with her our bedroom and I was trying to make her walk to get a ball or other interesting object. Then I told Damien to put his arms out. "Walk to Daddy!", I told her. And what do you know? She did? It was only 1 1/2 steps but she walked. Watch out world. This little Emily has a lot of exploring to do!

Emily . . . 11 Months Old

Emily, you are such an amazing little girl. This month- you showed me that you aren't so much interested in staying a little tiny baby. Instead, you are trying your hardest to be nine, seven, and three years old. Michael, Claire and Matthew are your idols! You won't be satisfied with being a curious and outgoing eleven month old- you want more and are working hard to get it! Watching you work to be bigger, faster, better is absolutely hilarious! You are so close to walking! The problem is that you won't really try and walk because you can get places faster when you crawl. You have developed a speedy crawl where you put your head down and just GO! We all think it is hilarious but you don't when you crawl into walls and other objects. We are working on having you look up when you speed crawl to avoid further accidents!

Because you are always where your siblings are, you tend to get hurt a lot because they are doing 'big kid' play. Lots of wrestling, chasing, and yes- the occasional hit or kick comes your way. I felt so bad for you earlier this month when the door was slammed on your middle finger. Poor Matthew was trying to keep you from going outside and didn't realize when he slammed the door your finger was there! Ouch! You lost your sweet little middle finger nail but thankfully- it is already growing back! You and Matthew are really becoming good friends. You are home alone with him until about 3:15 when Michael and Claire come home from school. You love to play with Matthew and now that you are growing bigger and are more of a presence in our world- he thinks you are awesome and loves to do things with you. One of his favorite activities to do with you is to feed you snacks. He just feels too cool!

This month you got your four top teeth all at one time. Just when we were doing a great job with your nighttime sleeping (only waking a few times a night)- these darned teeth decided to make their entrance. I know it was a lot of work to get them through but now that they are here- they are absolutely adorable! Your two front teeth are just so cute and you have a little gap between them which we all love. I adore your smile, sweet Emily! You and Claire are growing so very close. Claire takes great care of you and makes sure you have what you need to make you happy. This month Claire has been picking you up and holding you more. She rocks you back and forth to calm you and just loves you with all of her heart! She loves picking out your clothes and also loves to babysit you in her room. You two play with her giant container of fake plastic food and her Littlest Pet Shops. I love it because you two are bonding but it also gives me a break, too!

Your brother Michael loves you so much! I love watching you two play because you remind me of him as a baby. My Mom used to call me and Natalie (oldest and youngest of her five kids) her 'bookends'. I now get to think of you and Michael as my bookends. Michael thinks you are hysterical. Seriously, you can make Michael laugh like no one else can. He finds your little nuances to be so sweet and amazing. When you first started crawling, he exclaimed, 'It's a miracle!' He is very patient with you. He tries to get you to walk but then laughs hysterically when you speed crawl to your destination. Emily, you still love to do scrunchy face. You say Mama, Da (Dad), Bur (bird), and are so in tune with what we are saying to you. You sign 'more' and 'all done'. When you see me and want me, you extend your arm out with your palm up like you are reaching for me. You love to look at books and listen to Mommy talk to you about animal noises. You are one smart girlie! You are eating everything we put in front of you. The only annoying part of your eating process is that you have to take everything out of your month once it has been in there to further inspect it. Messy, messy!

I can't believe that in one short month you will be one year old. Wow. I don't have much more to say about that. As much as I have taken the time to enjoy each and every part of your life- time still moves more quickly than I would like it to. One thing I can say for sure is that in your short eleven months, you have managed to wrap your sweet little life around the hearts of your family. We love you so much and are so happy and blessed to have you in our lives. We love you Emmy!!!!!

My Mother's Day

In 2001, I officially became a mother. My beautiful, strong, and amazing Michael changed the way I looked at the world and made my dream of becoming a Mom a reality. I spent my first Mother's Day watching him in pure amazement. He was one month and one day old on my special day. I had never held him. I remember gazing at him through his incubator and stroking his tiny fingers. I knew I was his Mommy but it was hard to feel like his Mommy because I had no control over him and wasn't able to take care of him. The one way I connected with him was through my touch and voice. I talked to him non-stop and sang to him when I could. We made a tape recording of our voices and left a cassette recorder in his incubator so the nurses could push play when we were gone. On Mother's Day after spending most of the day with Michael at the hospital, Damien and I went back to the convent where he took a picture of me holding Michael's picture. It was only way I could hold my son . . . through a photograph. Then I lost it. Complete meltdown, sadness, remorse, and utter helplessness. When I think back to that day- I can still see, taste, and smell it. It might be the most well remembered Mother's Day I will ever have. Today, my Michael loves to talk to me! Tables turned! I hold him when he lets me, I enjoy watching him move through his very happy and healthy world. Never in a million years could I have imagined the moment/scene/scenario where I would actually become a mother. And although it was on the other side of the world- that moment is priceless. I became a mother to my beautiful Michael in Paris, France and after many years of healing and growth- I wouldn't change a thing. He is just as amazing today as he was the day he was born.

Oh, Clairey. You melted my heart when I first saw you. I could have sworn you were going to be a boy but when I saw you for the first time so pink and so beautiful and heard the doctor yell, It's a Girl, my life was forever changed. We spent many a day in the hospital waiting to meet each other. In fact, I almost met you as soon as I met your brother Michael but thankfully, you decided to spend some more time in my tummy! We spent so many quiet nights alone together in the hospital. You gave me the strength I needed to get through that tough time and looking back- it is so sweet that we had so much time to just rest and be together. You entered this world into a family who was lovingly waiting for you. You softened me in so many ways. After having your brother, I decided that I was definitely a "Boy Mom". Even though I had four sisters- I just couldn't imagine being the Mom to a little girl! However, you made me realize there was a large part of me that wanted a daughter. You made me feel whole and complete. Because your brother was born so prematurely- I hadn't experienced the joy of having a full-term baby who was healthy and could lay on my chest after birth. But you healed parts of me that I didn't realize were still hurting. Seeing you with your brother on my first Mother's Day with you was amazing. I am so proud of you and thank you for the many blessings you have given me in your short but incredible seven years.

Matthew. Where to begin. After having Michael and Claire so close together in age- Mommy needed some time to reconnect with herself before she had another baby. When Daddy and I decided to try to get pregnant again a little over three years later, I was so excited! Who would you be? How would you change my life? Your pregnancy was challenging but so worth it. I was convinced you were a girl and when you came out and were a boy I was beyond ecstatic! Your sweet chubby face instantly melted me and I was immediately bonded with you. You had to go to the NICU for five days which you would think would have been easy for me since your brother was in the NICU for over three months. But no. It tore me apart. I felt something special with you from the moment you entered this world. The way you looked at me and seemingly needed me made me want to be with you at all times. When you came home, our little family of five was complete and we were all so happy. I was so relaxed around you when you were a baby. There was an ease that came with mothering you. You were so content, so connected, so happy to be with me that my heart grew bigger than I knew it could. As you have grown older, I still feel tremendously connected with you. Because it had been four years since I had been new Mommy, I got to experience motherhood from a much more confident, content place. I knew not to sweat the small stuff. I knew to enjoy the middle of the night feedings, and I knew that you were growing faster than I liked and I had to enjoy every last bit of you. Thank you for the joy you continue to bring me. And please continue to make me laugh like you do now. You are such a bright spot in my life!

Emily! Dad and I are pretty sure you are our last baby. I knew that with every milestone you hit- I had to say goodbye to certain phases of your life and the phases of your brothers and sister. I knew to appreciate you for all that you were and all that you are. Your pregnancy was wonderful. Daddy and I had figured out how to best manage my pregnancies by the time you came around. I enjoyed your pregnancy so much because there wasn't a time that I truly felt threatened. Having already had two boys and only one girl, I secretly wanted you to be a girl. I wanted to experience being a Mommy to a sweet baby girl again- but I also wanted Claire to have a sister. When you were born and the doctor held you up- she turned to your Daddy and said, Tell everyone what you have! Daddy screamed, It's a Girl and I knew in that moment how you had made our family complete. You, my beautiful Emily, have made me so happy. You have spent almost a full year in my arms. You constantly search rooms for me and when I see you and we lock eyes, I know how much we mean to each other. I try as much as I can to cherish you and embrace the good and the bad with the notion that this precious time is fleeting. I hope to never forget what it felt like to become a Mommy for the fourth time and I hope that as you continue to grow older, we can stay as close as we are now. I love you so much, Emily.

This Mother's Day for me was about reflection. It wasn't planned, it is just what I felt. My first Mother's Day as a Mommy of four beautiful children. I believe this is the last Mother's Day I will experience where I will be a new Mommy. It made me so happy but also sad because I know that the phase of growing babies in my tummy is now over. I also breathe a breath of relief knowing that you are all healthy and here with me. We have had four pregnancies which have tested us in so many ways. The hours I spent laying down, the countless appointments and ultrasounds, and the journey that Damien and I have taken was all worth it because my four babies are here. I thank God that he blessed me with the big family that I always wanted. I thank God for guiding us through some very tough times and for keeping us safe. I thank God for my husband who is stronger than I ever could have imagined. I thank God for amazing family and friends who supported us through years of challenges and triumphs. And lastly- I thank Michael, Claire, Matthew and Emily for making me what I always wanted to be. Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing Moms in my life.

Claire's Extra Tooth

It all started on one February morning in 2008. Damien and I were preparing to leave for Costa Rica later that day when I noticed that Claire had a big space between her front two teeth. I questioned her and then went to look more closely and her front right baby tooth was so loose and ready to come out! It wasn't loose the day before so I was a little suspicious of the situation. After some questioning, I found out that Michael and Claire were rough housing in Matthew's crib and that somehow, Claire hit her tooth and essentially knocked it out. Well, she lost the tooth a few days later and within days, a sharp pointy tooth started growing in. Hmmm. Something wasn't right. I tried to think of different senarios which might explain the odd looking tooth! When she knocked her tooth out- did she damage the big front tooth, too? It didn't make sense! Sure enough, the tooth was not round and square like a normal big front tooth. It was long, sharp, and pointed. Admittedly, I was a bit upset about it. Claire was my only girl (at the time) and I loved her beautiful sweet and soft face. This new jagged tooth didn't really blend in so I decided to get her to the dentist to see what was going on.

When we went to the dentist, it was discovered that the jagged front tooth that grew in was most likely a mesiodens. A mesiodens is an extra tooth that sits in the gumline and comes down when it has some space. They weren't 100% sure it was a mesiodens so we had to wait six months and take some x-rays to see if there was indeed a big tooth up there. The fear of pulling the suspected mesiodens was that if it happened that the sharp tooth was just a malformed permanent tooth, Claire would have no front tooth at all! So we waited, and waited and finally decided to change dentists because her old dentist didn't think there was any rush. The new dentist suggested (after an x-ray confirmed there was a real big tooth up in there) to pull it asap as not to further damage the other big tooth waiting to come in. So that was that. We scheduled the extraction and kept Claire as calm as possible about it until it was time. (Pictured is my nephew Kyle who is holding the pulled mesiodens and who thought it was a dinosaur tooth. Isn't it huge?)

I didn't tell Claire it was time to get her tooth pulled until she got home from school. I let her know that the dentist called that afternoon and said they had a last minute appointment open to get her tooth pulled and I took it. She was immediately nervous but I urged her to stay calm and not freak out. She did just that. What an amazing little lady! I had my sister Gina watch the kids so I could give Claire my full attention. We got in the car and rode over to the dentist's office and I felt nervous, too! Something about getting your tooth pulled just doesn't sound fun! We arrived and Claire was doing pretty well. She clutched onto her stuffed panda and just tried to breathe and relax. Before we knew it- they called her back and just like that, she was gone. My mind was going crazy and I had to take a little walk. When I came back a few minutes later, the receptionist said to me, "Did you hear that? Claire just laughed because the tooth came out!" I was so relieved knowing it was over. They apparently gave her some laughing gas and a shot to numb the area. With one pull, the crazy looking mesiodens was out! She came out a few minutes later with a mouth full of gauze and a huge look of relief on her face. YEAH!!! It was out! She looks adorable with the huge hole in her mouth. I am so glad that tooth is out and I know Claire is, too. We had to be really careful with what she ate for the next 24 hours because there was a big hole in her gums. She was a great patient and we all can't wait to see her new tooth come in!

Michael's First Communion

For the entire school year, Michael's second grade class has been preparing for their First Communion. It is our first time experiencing the lead up to this sacrament so it was all new and exciting! Now that we have all four of our kids baptized, it's time to move onto a new sacrament! Both Damien and I have been surprised by how much preparation goes into getting your child through their First Communion. Sure we both went through it when we were kids- but preping as a parent of a child getting their First Communion is completely different world! It has all been worth it but it has been a lot of work. Not only do Michael and his classmates study and prepare in school, but there are also several family masses and meetings that we have been going to this year.

We opted to have him receive his First Communion today as opposed to Mother's Day weekend. My Mom, Dad, and two sisters (Laura and Gina) flew down to be with Michael on his special day! Damien's parents and a few of Michael's aunts (Lani, Heather, and Ali) and uncles (Mark and Haripal) from Damien's family also attended and I know that Michael felt very loved and supported. (So glad all of my kids look so happy in this picture. Really, it was a great day!)

The morning of the First Communion was a little bit of a rush. The ceremony started at 10:00 a.m. and Michael needed to be there at 9:30 a.m. so we were moving at a rapid pace! We got Michael all dressed up in his new suit and he was so mad at me for wanting to take some pictures. I don't blame the guy. It was a Saturday and he was exhausted. Still, the photo brigade must go on so we took a bunch of pictures despite his wishes for me to go away! (Hopefully he'll thank me later :)

The ceremony was absolutely beautiful. Michael and Claire's school does such an amazing job of making any memorable moment at the school even more special. They have everything planned out and things run so smoothly. We dropped Michael off with his classmates and it was fun to see them all dressed up. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't looking forward to dressing Claire in a beautiful white dress next year. We were all able to get seats in the packed church, which was great, and the weather was beautiful but not too hot. (There is a red arrow pointing to Michael if you enlarge the picture.)

When the kids started walking down the aisle of the church, I started to cry. How beautiful are these kids? How innocent? How excited? It made me think of Michael's beginnings (those memories are always with me) and I bowed my head in graditude to God and thanked him for giving me my son. I am so incredibly blessed to see Michael so healthy and able to receive this sacrament. Wow. Wasn't expecting that one. He was very poised during the ceremony. Every child had a chance to participate in the Mass and the program said Michael was going to help sing a song. He didn't mention a thing to me- which is pretty typical. Then out of no where, Michael and about four other classmates go up on the altar and in front of a packed church sing and sign the words to this beautiful song. Tears started streaming down my cheeks. It was beautiful. It was so unexpected. Michael looked so confident, so serious, so touched by God's grace. Damien, Michael, and I were sitting away from our families but I wish I could have seen the look on their faces and the tears welling up in their eyes, too. I was so incredibly proud of my son.

When Michael received his First Communion, I could tell he was nervous. They had the parents and children sitting near each other in the front of the church but I wasn't with Michael until we met in the aisle. With only seconds to spare, he turned to me and said 'I'm nervous'. I whispered 'You'll do great' and he did just that. It was short but sweet and so amazingly special. Michael's Godparents (Uncle Mark and Auntie Gina) were there in the church to see him through this special sacrament. I know that it meant a lot to me and Damien to have them there supporting Michael in his continuing relationship with God.

On a side note, Michael (who shares a special bond with my Dad and St. Joseph) gave my Dad a St. Joseph coin before the ceremony. He told him he bought one for both himself and for Grandpa. Michael then said that they should both put the coin in the pocket of their suits so that during his First Communion they would be connected with St. Joseph. I thought this was really cute and my Dad just loved it.

Afterwards, we all came back to our house where we had a great, relaxing party. I was nice to talk with everyone and honor Michael on this very holy day. The food was delicious and we all just enjoyed one another. God, thank you for giving us the gift of our beautiful, amazing, loving, and miraculous son. Congratulations Michael on your First Communion!

Bathtime For Babies

My parents and my sisters Gina and Laura flew down for Michael's First Communion weekend. We are already having so much fun and preparing for Michael's BIG day tomorrow! My Mom loves to bathe my kids and let's be serious here . . . I love it, too! Less work for me, more fun for her and her babies! I tend to throw the two littlest kids in the bath and then let them play for about fifteen minutes. My Mom lets them soak and have fun which they love in comparison to my quickie bath. And before I forget- did I mention that Michael and Claire now shower by themselves? How nice is that! Instead of having to physically bathe all four I instead say to them, 'Go take a shower' . . . and they do it! Victory!!!

Nonna, Matthew and Emily had so much fun splishing and splashing! I appreciate her help so much, especially on the eve of a big party! We are preparing to have my family and Damien's family over after the first communion so after bath time it was food prep time. Hopefully we'll get a lot done tonight so there will be less work to do in the morning!

Claire's Parent Pictionary

Look closely at this drawing. No- closer. Can you tell who these characters are? Claire LOVES her whiteboard. Both her Auntie Gina and Aunt Jocelyn bought her one for her birthday and she just loves them! She will spend an hour in her room just drawing, erasing, then redrawing pictures. She loves to play school with it and also writes messages to her family. Today, this particular picture caught my eye and I had to probe Claire further to find out who these decorative characters were! The last thing you want to do when your child draws a picture is incorrectly guess who it is. In the past, my kids have gotten so disappointed when I couldn't decipher who they had drawn. So now I try and be extra cautious before guessing.

Hmmm. This one was hard. I had to ask a few questions. On my first guess, I correctly guessed that the guy in blue was BATMAN! Ha! Claire draws so many things so beautifully and it was funny to see her attempt something that wasn't so girlie. Damien and I were just biting our cheeks and holding our stomachs when we found out it was indeed, Batman. The second picture did stump me. Lucky for me- Damien had gone through the guessing game with Claire before I came in so he gave me a clue! 'Look closely at his chest,' he said. Damien didn't want to give the me an obvious clue because then Claire would pick up on it and be disappointed. I was staring at this green character's chest- going through all the green characters I could think of. I thought of the Green Goblin but didn't think Claire would've drawn him. Then I saw the diamond shape on the characters chest. 'SUPERMAN,' I shouted! Claire smiled so big and said 'Yes!'. Thank goodness I got that one right! I don't think she has drawn a superhero before so this was so funny to me and Damien. I especially love that these characters have big princess sleeves!!! I hope she leaves this drawing up on her wall for a while. Every time I pass it- it makes me smile!

***Claire added Spiderman this afternoon and some new quotes. Had to include the new picture. Superman is saying, "I have other work to do besides know that a bee has a stinger!"
Batman says, "I have other work to do besides kill a fly!" And Spiderman is saying, "I have other work to do besides look at a littlest pet shop on a real web!" If you look at the picture closely, there is a Littlest Pet shop figure on her drawing.

My Girls

Claire's Mother's Day Tea

I was so excited to be able to join sweet Clairey at her school for a Mother's Day Tea. These parties are few and far between and I wouldn't have thought of missing it. Last year when I went to Michael's Mother's Day Tea- I was huge and pregnant. What a nice change to be able to go the tea and enjoy without any heavy stress on me. Claire got to dress up for the day and didn't have to wear her uniform. She was just beaming when I showed up to her classroom. She escorted me down the hall and pointed to a flower on the wall that she had drawn for me alongside the rest of her classmates. The kids got to choose three words that best describe their Mom. I love having Claire as my daughter because her three words sent my head spinning with happiness. Hers read like this- My Mom Is: GLAMOROUS (Really, Claire? You see me in sweats and sporty clothes all day long and you still think I am glamorous? I love you even more than I did one second ago!) LOVING (So glad you feel that way Claire. It is what matters most to me!) INCREDIBLE (Claire, you had me at glamorous and now you call me incredible. Well, thank you. You make me so happy!)

After those three descriptive words, I could have gone home and the morning would have already been worth it. But no! Now we got to sit with our child at their desk and talk for a little bit. She handed me a flower she made out of tissue paper and a real rose, too! It was just the sweetest morning. I had coffee, Claire had tea. We ate fruit, muffins, and donuts and it was just a pleasure to be alone with Claire for a few minutes and enjoy her company.

Before I forget, Claire did something hilarious at the Tea. There was kind of a break in the action and I saw Claire get out her whiteboard. I thought nothing of it until I heard other Moms laughing. I looked at Claire and she was holding up her whiteboard for all to see with the message MY MOM LIKES TO GO ON FACEBOOK on it. I am sure I turned red but I thought it was funny. Claire's teacher came over and whispered, 'I saw what Claire wrote!' Lovely Claire. Just lovely.

By the time we were finished with our tea- I felt so wonderful and so loved. Thank you Claire for the amazing morning. I will never forget it!

Matthew's 1st Trip to the Dentist

Would you believe that Matthew walked happily into the dentist's office without any hesitation? We were all in the waiting room and I though he might get scared when they called his name but as soon as he heard 'Matthew Swendsen'- he bounded up from his seat and left . . . without saying goodbye! Michael and Claire needed me for everything. They needed to know I was there to help them through the process. Matthew, who is so confident and secure because of his awesome older siblings example- feels so much more grounded in these types of situations. He was excited to go the dentist for the first time. I sensed little apprehension from him- instead he was excited to try something new and do something that Michael and Claire are big enough to do. And while I am not surprised that he didn't say goodbye before he went to go get his teeth cleaned for the first time, I have to admit I was a little sad because my beautiful little Matthew is growing up!

After his exam, I was able to go back and see him lying in the dentist's chair in all his glory. He looked hysterical! The glasses, the gloves . . . it was just too much! He got a great report and his teeth looked fantastic! Funny story- later that evening I asked Michael and Claire if they wore gloves during their exam. I found it odd that Matthew was wearing them. Maybe it was for sanitation, but I didn't get it. They said they didn't wear any. Hmmmm. So, I asked Matthew why he was wearing the gloves and he "I just asked the yady if I could wear some, too!" This kid will not be denied!!!


All the kids had great check ups. We did decide that Claire needs to get her front tooth pulled and the dentist was wonderful with her and calmed her nerves! I will post more on the tooth extraction later but for now- she is okay with it! This picture of Matthew and Emily was in waiting area of the dentist's office. I just think it is so funny! And the great part was that Emily was enjoying the ride! Matthew was on his way to get a price check on the butterball turkey he found! So . . . great news from the dentist and a successful outing for the Swendsen kids. Whew. Only six more months until we do this again!

BIG Sister Strikes Again!

Claire, you are so lucky to have such a cooperative brother. Matthew loves the attention you give him and feels so special that you include him in so much of what you do. Claire, do you know that when you dress Matthew up you are just giving me priceless photo opportunities that I will use to embarrass your brother as he grows older? (Not really but it will be good to have them!) I know that you are excited for Emily to grow bigger so that you can dress her up, too. I wonder though, if you will be in a new phase and not be interested in dressing up your siblings by the time she is three. I guess only time will tell. In the meantime, Matthew still loves being your model and feels oh so manly in your striped dress, pink sunglasses, cool owl necklace, jeweled bracelet, and heels. I love that you never give me warning when you two are playing dress up and that I will just turn around while making dinner to see one of the greatest sights ever! I hope you two remain this close forever and while I am sure there will come a day when Matthew refuses to wear a dress, maybe you two will find other ways to keep me on my toes. Until then, I will have my camera ready!

Matthew's Ships

You know how sometimes when you look at something so much- you don't see it anymore? Maybe the fingerprints on the walls or the spot on the carpet? Sometimes when you know it is there- you just don't see it. Well, I am sure I have fingerprints on the walls and I know there are more than a few spots on the carpets but something that is always around my house are Matthew's ships. They come in all shapes and sizes. What is a ship? No, it's not the kind that sets sail on the open seas but instead a Lego creation that is currently the center of Matthew's life. Although he is only three, Matthew has the dexterity and an abundance of patience to build 'ships' out of Lego's. Basically, he will take some kind of Lego base (i.e. a Lego boat or a large flat Lego rectangle) and start loading the 'ship' with his Lego guys. Each guy (and we have at least thirty) is carefully and meaningfully placed on the ship. Sometimes when they break and I try and put the guys back on the ship, Matthew will bark at me and tell me I put them in the wrong place. These guys have specific places and specific helmets in Matthew's creative world. The other day, I asked Matthew what his 'guys' names were. On that particular day their names were Goose, Goosey, Goose, Goose, and Goosey. (One of Matthew's nicknames is Goose- hence the names.) A few days later, I asked him what the names of some of his 'guys' were on another ship and she said, "Poodie, Daddy, Toodie, Doodie, and Snoodie." He said it so confidently that I just confidently nodded back to him with my approval. Where does he get these names? What about Fred, Bill, Mike, Tom?

One thing Matthew has in common with Claire is his ability to play independently with his toys. Both Matthew and Claire like to play with smallish toys and build imaginary worlds around them. For Claire, it is her Littlest Pet Shop toys and for Matthew- it is Legos and his chubby Star Wars guys. Michael, who I adore, never played like this. Instead- he spent most of his days practically attached to my ankles asking me to play with him. I pleaded with him to just go and play but he likes to be around adults. He still does, too! Finally, the Nintendo DS has kept his attention but he never really got into toy sets. I am loving Matthew's imagination and think it is cool that he has created his own little world with his Legos. I know that one day he will abandon these Legos but for the time being- I am going to enjoy seeing him fly Poodie and Toodie, and Goose around the house!

The Magic River

We love our new house. By new, I mean two and a half years old. The kids still miss our old house but I imagine that if we went back now and actually tried to live there- they would definitely prefer our new house. They were so little back then and I think they thought the house was bigger than it actually is! The funny thing about our big move is that our new house is only about a half of a mile from our old house. I like it because we are still in the same area which holds a lot of the memories from raising Michael and Claire. One of the memory-holding places is a running trail that is right between our old house and our new house. When we lived in the old house, we took Michael and Claire on the trail a lot. We'd go for walks during the day, as they got older we would take them so they could ride their bikes, and on the hot summer nights it was a great relief to go on the trail to escape our hot hot house.

The other day when Michael and Claire were in school, it dawned on me that I had never taken Matthew and Emily for a walk on the running trail! I loaded them up and off we went! Matthew had 101 questions about the trail which follows the creek. In order to quell the questioning- I told him that we were going to the Magic River. That totally did the trick and he was mystified! (Every time we drive by it he yells 'There's the Magic River!') They loved the walk and I realized I need to do this more often- especially since the weather is so nice now! We walked the trails, Emily was completely enthralled with the birds (birds are her absolute favorite thing in the world right now), while Matthew searched for Pirate Markings (spray paint on the trail which I told him meant pirates had been in the area). We had a really nice walk and ended the outing at this sweet little park that was recently built near our old house. Even though I am two times as busy as I was when Michael and Claire were little, I need to remember to give Matthew and Emily these experiences, too!

Claire's Classic Artwork

I looooovvvvveeee this painting! Claire brought this home from school and was very excited and proud of it! I had to bite my lip when she showed it to me! The imperfect part of it make it so much more perfect in my eyes!

Peek-a-Boo!

Emily is picking so much up from her brothers and sister. I didn't teach her how to play peek-a-boo but apparently one of her siblings did! I was sitting in the backyard with her and she kept peeking her head from the top of the slide to the bottom of the slide when I finally figured out that she is playing peek-a-boo! Hilarious! She is into SO much more than her siblings were at this age. She is attempting to do dangerous things that make me crazy but I know that she is just trying to do what they're doing! Oh Emily, please slow down. You are growing up too fast!

Vegas Part Deux

Yes, its true! The Sacco girls visited Vegas for the second time! We had such a fun time. It was a chance to catch up with my sisters and Mom, relax, and just not worry about anything but myself. It was wonderful! It all started when Gina had to be in Las Vegas for work and offered up her room to all the sisters and my Mom if we wanted to stay in Vegas for free. Hmmm. Let me think. Free room at the Venetian for two nights? Okay! I had never stayed at the Venetian so I was excited to be able to check it out! I really liked the hotel. Beautiful frescoes on the ceilings, lots of Venetian flare, and pretty good food. I must say, however, that Caesars is still my favorite. My sisters and Mom agreed.

We really did a lot of nothing, which in my opinion- is the best way to go in Vegas. We had no schedule to adhere to, no reservations to shows or dinner, just free days to come and go as we pleased and we did just that! We spent a lot of time at the gorgeous pool (although it was so jam packed we had to lay on chairs way away from the pool), we walked and explored the strip, I held a boa constrictor (if you know me, you know that this is a sign of the apocalypse), shopped, ate at some great restaurants (my Mom loved her bone marrow flan . . . I swear I am not lying), and we just enjoyed hanging out and laughing until our stomachs hurt. It was nice to get away for the weekend, clear my head, hear my own thoughts, shower and get all dressed up (without rushing), and do what I wanted to do. Can't wait until we do it again! PS- How great does my Mom look?